Toe-dancer slipper or shoe



May 21, 1946. B H. cl-:LMER

` TOE-DANCER SLIPPER O SHOE Y Filed July l0, 1943 grwwvYo/b aleswara HC@ [mer w www Patented May 21, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOE-DANCER SLIPPER R SHOE Boleswava H. Celmcr, Detroit, Mich. Application July 10, 1943, Serial No. 494,235

4 Claims.

This invention is directed to an improvement in toe-dancer slippers or shoes constructed with a view to permit the dancer to demonstrate her art in connection with more or less conventional skating, either on ice or on rollers.

The usual toe-dancing slipper or shoe is formed with a toe portion of particular form and relatively hard construction on which the dancer largely depends in maintaining her toe position while dancing. This hardened toe portion must remain intact for effective use of the shoe and hence with any dancing attachment, as ice or roller skates, the normal toe portion of the shoe must be maintained.

The primary object of the present invention is the production of means whereby ice runners or roller parts may be secured to a more or less conventional toe-dancing shoe or slipper to permit the dancer to demonstrate her art while skating to thereby provide many figure variations of ordinary toe dancing.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken view of a conventional toedancer slipper provided with the improved attachment for roller skate attachment.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the'use of the attachment for ice skating.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the form shown in Fig. 1.

The invention is directed to an attachment through which a roller skating equipment or an ice runner may be attached to a more or less conventional toe-dancing shoe or slipper without interfering with the essential and necessary features of such shoe or slipper.

The attachment comprises a metallic connector I, formed to embrace the toe portion 2 of the slipper 3. The attachment is of cuplike form at 4 shaped to snugly receive the toe 2, the rear portion 5 of the attachment overlying and conforming to the sole 6 of the slipper, and being secured to such sole at 1.

' The toe portion 2 of the slipper or shoe is of particular form and hardness to enable the dancer to sustain her position during dancing without extreme fatigue. This portion of the slipper or shoe must not be .broken or marred, as for example, by any fastening means, otherwise the efficiency of the slipper is materially intefered with. The conventional slip per or shoe has an outer sole 8 and an inner sole 9 which forms a substantially solid portion of the slipper or shoe. By securing the attachlment to these sole portions as at l, the important toe portion of the slipper is not interfered with in any way and its original efficiency is maintained.

The rear portion or plate 5 of the attachment is longer than the cup-like toe receiving portion 4, securing the attachment firmly in place, and at the same time` allowing the instep of the dancer to arch out, which is an important requisite in the trick of toe skating on ice or rollers.

The rollers I mounted on an appropriate axle II, is secured to or mounted in a web I2, depending from the attachment of this invention; while the ice-runner I3 is also, when used firmly secured to a web I4 depending from the attachment.

Both the rollers and ice runner are so attached as to permit the dancer when in toe dancing position to utilize either the rollers or ice runner as a correct means of support and also as a means for creating the usual movement of such elements over the surface while providing figure or fancy steps or movements from the toe position of conventional toe dancing.

The attachment is preferably constructed of f metal or othei` appropriate. material, and formed to carry as a xed connection the rollers or ice runner. Thus such may be attached to a pair of dancing slippers, or shoes and used when the particular type of toe dancing is to be performed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An attachment for toe-dancing slippers comprising a cup-formed toe embracing portion wholly free of connection with the slipper, and a plate extension overlying and secured to the sole of the slipper, said plate extending beyond the cup-formed portion, and an ice-runner secured to and depending below the attachment.

2. An attachment for toe dancing slippers, comprising a cup-shaped body formed to receive the toe of the slipper while entirely free of fastened connection therewith, a sole plate secured to said cup-shaped member and having a part extended across the front thereof, a body secured to the front side ofthe said plate part to position in front of the toe of the slipper, and a ground engaging assembly attached to said body and having portions lying outside the area de ned by the circumference of the cup-shaped member.

3. An attachment for toe dancing slippers, comprising a cup-shaped member designed to receive the toe of the slipper while entirely free of fastened connection thereto, a sole plate attached to the cup-shaped member underlying andv secured to the sole of the slipper, an axle disposed across the front-and lying in a plane passing through the center of the cup-shaped lmember and rotatablyconnected therewith, and

' a pair of rollers mounted upon the axle and disposed outside the area defined by the circumto underlie and be f secured to the sole of theV Y Y slipper, a tubular bearing disposed t',raa,1 1sverselyV of the toe of the cup-shaped member and disposed ina plane passing longitudinally through the center of the cup-shaped member, an axle passing throughvsaid tubular bearing and extend- Aing at its ends beyond the ends of the bearing,

Y and a wheel rotatably supported upon each tached to the cup-shaped member and'adapted 'of the Vcup-shaped outer end of theraXle, said Wheels ybeing disposed outside the area den'edlby'the'circumference member.VV i

BOLESWAVA H. CELMER., 

